29 January 2010

Commentators have complained that this year's nominees are the safest in Brits history but the hodge-podge of coffee-table/Dad rock bores for the Album of 30 Years - Dire Straits, Dido, Keane - is testament to the enduring irrelevance of the awards.

The rocker – who is close friends with the former Oasis guitarist – says every time he has a night out with the ‘Falling Down’ songwriter they end up drinking huge amounts of the strong South American shot.

Serge said: “I think Noel might be part Mexican the way he goes at tequila.”

Kasabian singer Tom Meighan agrees with his bandmate and insists 42-year-old Noel lives up to his hard partying reputation with ease.

He said: “Noel is very much a tequila man and moving from bar to bar – brilliant.”

Although both Tom enjoys a night out with Noel, he insists his brother Liam, 37, is as equally good company.

The ‘Fire’ singer added: “Liam can sit on the same stool with ten pints of Guinness but you only have to chat with him for an hour and you’ve travelled through the f***ing universe on a magic stairlift. Two very different propositions but both brilliant.”

Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher has confessed that he can’t slip into skinny jeans.

Buzz up!“I can’t get in them…They’re for girls, man. They look good on girls,” he said. And Liam, 37, who is staying off cigarettes and alcohol, hopes to party if Oasis win a Brit award in Feb.

“I hope people vote for us to win the best album of the past 30 years because I want to go, I want to have a night out,” the Daily Express quoted him as telling, XFM. “It would close the Oasis thing for me if we won and I could thank the fans. So get voting, or don’t, and I’ll stay in and play The Beatles. Either way I’ll have a blinding night,” the rocker added.

Today is the last day to get your vote in for '(WTS)MG?' for the 'BRITs Album Of 30 Years'!

Oasis' '(What's The Story) Morning Glory?' has been nominated for 2010's 'BRITs Album of 30 Years'.

The 14 x platinum album has sold a staggering 14 million copies worldwide, 4.2 of which are in the UK alone.The number one album marked the band's first UK number one single with 'Some Might Say' as well as live favourites, 'Roll With It', 'Wonderwall', 'Don't Look Back In Anger' and 'Champagne Supernova'.

The BRITs category is open to the top-selling, BRIT award winning albums of the past 29 years to celebrate the Award's 30th birthday.

The singer says that his new group – featuring former Oasis bandmates Andy Bell and Gem Archer – had eight songs, and are aiming to head into the studio soon.

"A lot of these songs I wrote before the band [Oasis] split up," Gallagher told XFM. "I mean, there's a few new ones on there that are coming out now."

He added: "We're going in [the studio] in April with a producer, we're going to do three songs with him and if he doesn't balls it up and we don't balls it up then we'll go in and do the whole album with him."

Gallagher suggested he was keen to get on with the new, still nameless group - saying he regretted the fact that Oasis only made seven albums in the 16 years they had a record deal. He called the amount of music Oasis' put out in their career "poor", and chastised the band for taking so long to produce new material.

"Seven albums for Oasis is not good, I don't think. We've been going 18 years, 16 years or whatever and all we've done is seven albums. Ian Brown's on his seventh solo album. I just think it's poor, really," Gallagher said.

"I'm not going to beat myself up about it, I think we should have made better, bigger albums. Or more albums. Having like four or five years off is just no good," he added. "Obviously Noel (Gallagher) wanted a bit of time off and we don't. The band split in August – we was in the studio in November 'cos we're mad for it."

Elsewhere in the interview, Gallagher said he wants to appear on 'I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here or Total Wipeout – but only if no other contestants are involved.

"I'd like to do all that shit," he said, before adding that Total Wipeout is his favourite reality TV programme of the moment. "They do it in Argentina. I'd love to do it on my jaxy, with no one about."

Liam Gallagher visited The Xfm Breakfast Show with Dave Berry to talk Pretty Green, Oasis and driving farmyard vehicles with Ian Brown. Naturally, it was radio gold. Luckily, we filmed it and made it video gold.

You can see the full, unedited interview here. Like the man himself, it's utter genius.

27 January 2010

Liam Gallagher has told Xfm that winning the ‘BRITs Album Of Thirty Years’ would draw a satisfactory line under Oasis. The band have been nominated with Keane, Coldplay, Dire Straits, Sade, Dido, Duffy, Phil Collins, The Verve and Travis for the best album of the last thirty years.

Liam Gallagher has given the thumbs-up to Roberto Mancini's old-school scarf and claims Sir Alex Ferguson looks like a 'dustbin-man' in comparison.

Gallagher - who has launched his own Pretty Green clothing range - told Football365: "The scarf is cool. I want one myself so I might go and get myself one.

"Mancini looks good but then, all Italians are cool. He's certainly cooler than that Taggart from across the road - he's a top manager and all that but he looks like a dustbin-man."

The admiration is obviously mutual as Mancini quoted an Oasis song - Don't Look Back In Anger - in the build-up to the big Manchester derby with United at Old Trafford.

Gallagher will not be at United's ground to cheer on his beloved team, saying: "I wouldn't step foot in that place. I've never been and I don't want to go - it's not for me. Anyway, I don't think I'd get a good reception.

"I'll be watching it at home on the box - it's the biggest game ever for me. I can't wait - it's going to be top. I'm absolutely loving all the aggro - that's what derbies are about. It's been missing from the game a long time and I'm loving it.

"I'm absolutely buzzing off Carlos Tevez at the moment, and I'm buzzing off Craig Bellamy too. Actually, I'm buzzing off the whole lot of them. It's now or f***ing never for City. I'm really confident - 2-0 to City on the night."

So would even Tevez look good in Pretty Green gear? "It would be a challenge, but it's not all about looking good all the time, is it? Everyone would look good in Pretty Green clothes. Some of it's alright and it's getting better all the time."

Kasabian's Tom Meighan is a huge admirer of Oasis and insists Liam Gallagher should release a solo album because he can still make "amazing" music without his brother Noel.

The singer - whose band joined Oasis on their last ever tour before they split in August - said in an interview with Q magazine: "I think Liam should go it alone. It's not Oasis without Noel, and I think they'd both agree with that. Did I see it coming? No I can't say I did. I was in Germany doing a terrible festival when someone texted me they'd split up and I was as shocked as anyone.

"I texted Liam and Noel just to say, 'I am really sorry and best of luck,' to both of them. It's sad but the new music will be just amazing."

Vote for '(What's The Story) Morning Glory?' for 'BRITs Album of 30 Years' HERE!

26 January 2010

With Oasis nominated for three NME awards, including best band, PaddyPower are offering odds of 5/1 that the band, who sensationally split last year, re-unite to attend the high-profile bash.

The firm offer 4/1 that the feuding Gallagher brothers get back together at any point in 2010, and also offer various different bets on the NME ceremony itself.

It is 4/5 that Liam attends on his own, 6/5 that Noel goes to bash without his brother, and 8/1 that the pair fight at the gig in London’s 02 Arena.

Paddy, however, thinks it’s far more likely that the fighting is done online, and make it 7/4 that Noel sets up a twitter account in 2010 to slate his sibling.

Sharon McHugh, spokesperson for Paddy Power told bettingpro:

“Oasis are old time favourites of the NME Awards, so it’s really no surprise that they’ve been nominated. The big question for music fans this year is not what bands will win but more will there be fisticuffs at this year’s ceremony?”

Oasis – Will they re-unite?

4/5 Liam only turning up at the NME's6/5 Noel only turning up at the NME's7/4 Noel to join Twitter in 20104/1 Oasis to re-form in 20105/1 Both brothers to re-unite to collect an award/attend the bash8/1 Noel & Liam to come to blows at the NME's

Former Creation boss Alan McGee talks about the release of Upside Down, a film based on his label - And how he is bored with the music industry.

Forming a record label in his early twenties in London with little money was impressive by anyone’s standards, but engineering one of music’s best loved and most missed labels was something else.

He signed Oasis when no one else wanted them and pioneered a music revolution, seeing talent in bands that other labels couldn’t see.

And now, Creation fans eagerly await the release of Upside Down, a documentary film by Danny O’Connor about the birth, death and life of Creation Records.

The film tells the story of the hedonistic times of Creation Records who signed My Bloody Valentine, Primal Scream, The Jesus and Mary Chain, among others.

Talking about the film, Alan McGee says: “It will be good, Danny is a really good film maker and the bits that I have seen look great - It definitely captures the spirit and the madness of the Creation days.

“Danny keeps finding stuff that no one in the world has ever seen – forty hours of Primal Scream on tour and stuff like that.”

Featuring throughout Upside Down is Primal Scream frontman Bobby Gillespie, who is one of Alan’s oldest friends and was signed to Creation.

Alan says: “I think the star of the film is Bobby Gillespie, who unbelievably intellectualises it – not because the guy is an intellectual, but somehow he seems to understand what Creation was better than anyone else.

He adds: “Bobby I think is the star of it, which is fair do’s really, because I don’t think I could have done Creation without Bobby.”

Growing up in Cathcart in Glasgow’s Southside, McGee attended local school, Kings Park Secondary. Leaving school at 14, Alan’s memories were not as fond as the ones the school had.

He laughs: “I went to Kings Park Secondary and ironically they had an Alan McGee business award, even though I stopped going to school at 14.”

He added: “I think it is only me and Bobby Gillespie as far as I understand, that have ever come to national promeninance or notoriety.

“The school hated me and it was ironic they were having an award for someone they wanted to throw out.”

Fed up with the music business, but still interested in bands, McGee plans to set up a media company this year with Senegal Producer Dean Cavanaugh. Originally agreeing to a cameo role, McGee has appeared in cult internet comedy, Svengali, a hilarious story about one man’s quest for fame in the music business.

Alan says: “I am hanging out with Dean Cavanaugh and we might get a media company together, do documentaries and films.

“I am kind of over with the music business – I think it’s a load of rubbish. I like gigs and I like young bands – new bands that haven’t been signed and have got the spirit.”

Looking forward to some releases in 2010, Alan says: “I am really excited about the new Glasvegas record, Paul Weller’s record and Noel’s (Gallagher) record.

He adds: “If I start listening to Sidney Devine, then start worrying! My dad is talking about a come-back; he was talking about reforming the John McGee Orchestra, now that’s scary.”

To watch the official trailer for Upside Down, please click here and to watch Alan in Svengali, please click here.

Oasis are being hotly tipped for a nomination tonight as best British band in the 2010 Shockwave NME Awards despite having apparently split for good last year.

Over 19 years, the feuding brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher have picked up 15 NME awards — the only major music honours voted for by the public. In contrast, the Mastercard Brits snubbed Oasis in nearly all categories this year.

Thanks, I'm good, I'm in Cardiff. We have a press conference today. We're playing a big outdoor show here this summer. We're the first band to have a concert at the new Cardiff Football Stadium. There's are good music scene here, there have been lots of investments in the last fifteen years and we're very much looking forward to it.

What can we expect from the upcoming tour?

Well, we're in the middle of the rehearsals right now. We want to play lots of songs that people haven't heard for five or six years. We want to change our set a lot so that we can play different shows. We're putting the setlist together right now.

In our last interview we talked about the cancellation of the Oasis/Stereophonics tour in 2006. You thought that it was unfortunate but the opportunity will come again. Do you still think that you will go on tour with Oasis?

Not at the moment. I think Noel is happy and Liam is back with the band. But there is always an opportunity. We saw Blur reforming last year and all the other reunions. I don't think there will be a reunion now but on the other hand we're talking about Oasis and they're pretty unpredictable.

Could this also happen to the Stereophonics?

No, not at the place we're in at this moment. We're very happy with the album, the attitude is in a good place and we're having a good time.

23 January 2010

The UK’s Most Prestigious Music Awards Return With A 3-Cd Album Jam Packed With 2009’s Biggest Tracks Plus A Bonus Brit Artists Cd!

This year you can forget your birthday, wedding anniversary and even Christmas but this is one anniversary you do not want to miss in 2010… The BRIT Awards hits the big ‘three zero’ this February. What better way to celebrate it than with what promises to be one of 2010’s best compilations.

The BRIT Awards are pulling out all the stops this year and celebrating 30 years of existence in style! Not only do you get 40 of last years biggest hits but also an extra bonus disc crammed full of BRIT gems. The first 2 discs contain some belting hits from female superstars including Lady GaGa’s phenomenal “Let’s Dance”, Cheryl Cole’s “Fight for this love”, and Lily Allen’s “The Fear”. Not forgetting massive tracks from heartthrobs Robbie Williams with his smash hit “Bodies”, Michael Buble “Haven’t Met You Yet”, Daniel Merriweather “Red” and 2009’s biggest boyband JLS with “Beat It”.

If that isn’t enough to entice you, bonus disc 3 has 20 tracks from some of the biggest and best BRIT nominees and award winners of all time including exclusive collaborations taken live from the BRIT Awards from Queen & 5ive “We Will Rock You”, Seal & Adamski with “Killer” and the Bee Gees with a medley. The smashing bonus disc also contains gems from the likes of Take That, Amy Winehouse, Girls Aloud, The Spice Girls, Coldplay, The Killers and Oasis.

The BRIT Awards with MasterCard 2010 show to be aired February 16th 2010 is destined to be the biggest show yet. Celebrating 30 years of the Awards, the show will feature spectacular staging with performances by world renowned artists with comedy genius Peter Kay hosting the event!

22 January 2010

Bright, bold and deafeningly loud, Twisted Wheel are determined to make the world sit up and take notice.

They recently supported The Enemy on their UK tour, Oasis on their European tour and Paul Weller on a series of British forests gigs, but now they’re stepping out of the shadows and into the limelight on their own.

Their self-titled debut album was released last year, and has received positive reviews from all corners of the music press. Surely that’s a big boost to a new band?

“It’s hard to keep up with them all,” says Jonny. “I read a few on the internet and then we go on tour and I don’t see anything for weeks. I think even better than the reviews is that Paul Weller and Oasis have said they like us, and they’re just legends. Things are looking good so far.

“You have to pinch yourself, you know. I burst into hysterics when I think about it sometimes, you can’t beat it.

“Oasis have always been such an inspiration to me, and when I was younger, I dreamed of maybe meeting them one day. Before I knew it I was playing on tour with them. It’s unreal. You’ve got to keep your cool though, even if I want to just give them all a massive hug.”

They’ve certainly enjoyed supporting their heroes...

“It’s the best way to get known, I think,” says Jonny. “As we’re not getting played on Radio 1, we have to play live, and hopefully get ourselves a reputation as a great live band. That’ll make up for it. I love playing live, absolutely love it.”

19 January 2010

Oasis' '(What's The Story) Morning Glory?' has been nominated for 2010's 'BRITs Album of 30 Years'. The 14 x platinum album has sold a staggering 14 million copies worldwide, 4.2 of which are in the UK alone.

The number one album marked the band's first UK number one single with 'Some Might Say' as well as live favourites, 'Roll With It', 'Wonderwall', 'Don't Look Back In Anger' and 'Champagne Supernova'.

The BRITs category is open to the top-selling, BRIT award winning albums of the past 29 years to celebrate the Award's 30th birthday.

18 January 2010

To Celebrate its 30th Anniversary, The BRIT Awards 2010 will include the ‘British Album of 30 Years’ – where the top 10 best selling albums, that have also won British Album categories over the past three decades, will be voted by Radio 2 and 6 Music listeners.

Fran Healy has predicted that Liam and Noel Gallagher will reunite to reform Oasis.

The Travis frontman told his official website that the siblings will get back together after clearing the air with their separate projects following Noel's departure in the summer.

Healy said: "I met Liam at the Oasis concert in Wembley. He kissed me square on the lips and said, 'I fookin' love you'. Liam is a doll.

"As for Noel, I have not heard from Noel for years. I’m sure they'll return. The solo projects are a perfect digestive before the inevitable Oasis reunion. But I will say that my solo project will definitely be the best solo project."

Of his first album away from Travis, he added: "I would hate to be a new band coming through at the moment so it's nice to have already been introduced to people.

"However, I have no idea how Wreckorder will be viewed. So far, folks have been open to the idea of this solo excursion. But it's all down to the songs.

"If it's a pile of s**t then it will stink and if it stinks then I would like it to sink without trace. I think it doesn't stink, though. I have played it to some people now and the reaction has been very exciting."

If you think rock’n’roll is all about swagger, a new film on the drink- and drug-fuelled years of Creation Records is for you

WHEN AN UNSIGNED Noel Gallagher took the train from Manchester to meet the bosses of Creation Records in 1993, he had little idea what to expect. But in a room above a sweatshop in the backstreets of east London, surrounded by self-confessed “misfits, drug addicts and sociopaths”, the Oasis songwriter found his spiritual home.

“He came to the Creation office and saw the words ‘Northern Ignorance’ scrawled in magic marker across the roof of the reception,” says former managing director Tim Abbott. “I’d done it the week before, when I was off my head on ecstasy, walking on the tables and drinking champagne. Noel saw it and went: ‘Fucking ’ell, I’m having that. I like it here.’”

Now, the full extent of the debauchery, precariousness and genius of the independent label is to be laid bare in the most revealing rock’n’roll film since 24 Hour Party People , the story of the “Madchester” scene. Upside Down, due out in spring, reveals Creation’s unusual method of making sure new bands came on board, according to Abbott.

“We often used to drink and drug the bands into submission,” he says.

In Gallagher’s case, after the initial bond formed, he was frogmarched to the pub, according to Abbott, where, unsurprisingly, all involved got “stuck into a session”.

A decade after Creation closed, and 25 years since the release of its first single, Upside Down charts the heady 15-year existence of the label that launched Primal Scream, Ride and My Bloody Valentine, as well as Oasis. It veered from one financial precipice to another, according to Abbott. Even after Primal Scream won the Mercury music prize in 1992, the resulting visibility did not translate into financial viability.

“We were always skint. It was like spinning plates, we were always trying to dodge the bailiffs,” Abbott says. “It was my job to go out and see them, probably because I was the smallest. [Co-founder Dick Green] would see to the manufacturers who we couldn’t pay and [co-founder Alan McGee] would just try to blag it. It couldn’t go on like that.”

Upside Down ’s director, Danny O’Connor, who admitted going through “near bankruptcy and dementia and all the other things that come with Creation” during the making of the film, says he was drawn to telling the story of the label that had provided the soundtrack to his life.

“No one does excess like Creation, no one does great records like Creation,” he says. “Creation was an indie, but it didn’t wear a cardigan, it didn’t apologise. There was a real power in its punch. If you think that rock’n’roll is all about swagger, this is your film.” And few do swagger like McGee. In a trailer for the film, he admits: “I was absolutely delusional. I actually thought I was up there with Beethoven and Shakespeare, creating metaphysical history by running Creation.”

Abbott agrees: “We were dysfunctional people working with dysfunctional bands, but somehow we still managed to function. We got results. ”

For Abbott, when Sony bought 49 per cent of the label in 1992, it spelled the end of its glory days. “When McGee sold creation to Sony, it was a curse. It took the pressure off financially, but it changed everything. Sony brought in accountants and a major label culture. The offices moved from Hackney to Primrose Hill and it got stupid.”

Abbott has few regrets about the closure of the label in 1999. “When the label folded, it was sad, but it had been consumed by a monster. It stopped being a vehicle for music and started being a vehicle for egos. Alan and Dick sold the soul of Creation to the devil, and the devil wanted it back with interest.”

Damon Albarn has admitted for the first time getting mixed up in a deadly heroin scene with ex-girlfriend Justine Frischmann from Elastica in the aftermath of Britpop madness.

Blur have bared their souls in a devastatingly honest documentary - about drugs, breakdowns, rivalries and reunion.

The definitive rockumentary, No Distance Left To Run, premiered in London last night in front of the four band members and I thoroughly recommend it to any music fan.

Blur clear up one old mystery - saying it was Damon's decision to release single Country House against Roll With It by Oasis.

The biggest chart battle of the decade became the defining moment of Brit pop - and Blur got the No1.

Damon says he did it to get back at Noel Gallagher. He recalled: "Noel used to take the p*** out of me constantly and it really, really hurt at the time. Oasis were like the bullies I had to put up with at school."

14 January 2010

Hot on the heels of their reunion at last year's Glastonbury Festival, this terrific documentary takes a look at the ups and downs of reluctant Britpoppers Blur.

Refusing to gloss over hard truths, this is access-all-areas stuff as the four members discuss their rivalry with Oasis, guitarist Graham Coxon's alcoholism and the turmoil that led to their six-year hiatus.

Anchored by footage of their reunion, we examine the band's Essex childhoods and how being Britain's biggest band in the mid-90s almost did for them.

While lead singer Damon Albarn is charmingly self-deprecatory, it's Coxon who's the best value, amusingly reminiscing about his stint in rehab and how he'd avoid showbiz parties filled with women "dressed like spiders" for the normality of Camden boozers.

A celebration of music and friendship, and a document of the vacuousness of Cool Britannia, documentaries don't get any better.

Of the three siblings, perhaps surprisingly it was Paul who became the first of the Gallaghers to own a guitar but when it began to gather dust, an eight-year-old Noel decided to practise on it himself for endless hours, locked away in his bedroom. At least Paul was able to escape the incessant playing of his younger brother: “I never shared a room with Noel but Liam did.” So if nothing else, fans of Oasis have Paul Gallagher to thank for introducing Noel to the instrument that he would later use to craft tunes of such resonance as Live Forever and Wonderwall.

Paul quickly realised that he could not compete with Noel’s talent and so he dumped his interest in playing the instrument himself, deciding to “leave the guitar thing to people who know what they are doing.” When asked if the success that Noel and Liam have since had has ever tempted him to pick the guitar back up, Paul concedes without regret: “No, I never get back on the bus.”

Noel, on the other hand, never got off the bus and continued to practise and improve his guitar-playing and song-writing skills to such a standard that he effortlessly put Liam‘s early violin-playing career in the shade. By the time that Paul got Noel a job at Kennedy’s Civil Engineering he was an accomplished player, who took the silver lining of being on light duties after a JCB dropped a section of gas mains on his foot, by bringing his acoustic guitar to work.

It was during this time, in between handing out nuts and bolts to labourers, that Noel Gallagher composed four of the songs that were to later appear on Oasis’ debut album in 1994. Was Paul aware, even back then, just how special Noel’s early songs were? “Of course. You know a good song when you hear it, then it’s for others to create the snowball effect… and whoosh!”

Yet despite Noel having already written a number of bona fide classics, it would still be some time before anyone else would get the opportunity to hear them. He played briefly in the mid-eighties with Paul Bardsley in a five-piece called Fantasy Chicken and the Amateurs before auditioning to be the Inspiral Carpets’ front man in 1988 at the tender age of 21.

Although Noel, along with Tim Burgess, failed to get the gig and it went to Tom Hingley, the Inspirals offered him a job as a roadie and instrument technician. Was this the biggest oversight since Ronaldinho was offered to Saint Mirren F.C. as a 21 year old? “I'm not sure if you would have seen Oasis if Noel was front man of the Inspirals. Be careful what you wish for…”

By the time that Noel left the Inspirals in 1991 his younger brother Liam had finally begun to show an interest in guitar music, leaving his electro and hip hop days behind him to become a fully-fledged member of the Stone Roses appreciation society: “I think by Liam seeing the Roses at Spike Island, and that Ian Brown to him was just an ordinary fella, it made him believe that he could achieve the same thing and more.”

Paul himself had sampled Manchester’s finest throughout the eighties and stuck to the cigarettes and alcohol when everyone else seemed to be sampling the ecstasy-fuelled hedonism of Madchester through 1989 and 1990: “I seen the Roses at Manchester International 2, Blackpool Empress Ballroom and Spike Island. Glorious days.”

It wasn’t long before Liam found a band of his own when he filled the void left by Chris Hutton by joining Paul Arthurs, Tony McCarroll and Paul McGuigan in The Rain: “Liam didn’t form the rain, it was a band already named. He came in and renamed the band OASIS. Then Noel joined, and the rest.. well you know the rest.”

Oasis played their first gig, still without Noel, in August 1991 at the Boardwalk in Manchester and Paul was there from the very beginning to offer early support to his youngest brother‘s musical career: “I have seen most UK shows since ‘91.”

Having been one of only around 50 people to have witnessed such a landmark performance, did Paul see any early song-writing potential in Liam Gallagher’s first compositions, such as Take Me, Alice or Reminisce? “Liam? No. He's coming into his own now though. He always wanted to be a front-man and leave the song-writing to others. Though now he has the means to do both.”

Within three short years, Noel had joined Oasis and taken on song-writing duties, which culminated in the release of Definitely Maybe, the fastest-selling debut album of all time in the UK when it was unleashed. The release of this album came at a time of otherwise lost opportunity for other Manchester bands. The Stone Roses had become embroiled in legal wranglings with both their record company and former manager and the Happy Mondays had finally ingested too many pills, thrills and bellyaches during the making of Yes Please in the West Indies. Oasis stepped up boldly to grab the mantle and the Roses and Mondays were never quite the same again. “(the success of) Oasis never had anything to do with the Roses demise. And the take off from Definitely Maybe? It was a juggernaut. Nothing could stop it.”

And indeed, the Oasis juggernaut continued to captivate the musical world for another 15 years, with the British music and tabloid press following every tantrum and triumph blow by blow. One of the most memorable media frenzies came in the shape of the Oasis versus Blur chart battle in August 1995 that was billed as “The Battle Of Britpop” and which even catapulted both bands onto the national news bulletins. How much of this chart battle does Paul think was manufactured by the NME and Damon Albarn? “The times we lived in... The music business needed a North / South battle. I was never and am still not a fan of Blur. They say nothing to me musically.”

To the detriment of great British music, The Roses imploded quickly after the rise of Oasis and in the words of Ian Brown the seminal Manchester group, “George Best-ed it.” Of the former Roses, Brown himself has crafted out a hugely successful solo career but is Paul surprised at the current lack of success of some of his iconic ex-bandmates? “I thought Reni would have released something by now.”

There is no doubting the Roses’ influence on the Gallaghers and Noel calls Spike Island his “blueprint”. He also paid tribute to the Stone Roses by claiming that they “kicked open the door and we nailed it to the wall” and both he and Liam were to later work with Ian Brown and John Squire on singles during their post-Roses careers. Does Paul believe that his brothers will again work with these Mancunian legends now that they are embarking on their own post-Oasis careers? “Noel maybe. Liam? Who knows.”

By the time 1995’s (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? had sold 10 million copies worldwide, the band’s dynamics had changed and Tony McCarroll became the first of many casualties when the original drummer was replaced by Alan White. Being so close to the band throughout its lifespan, does Paul still see much of that classic line-up who adorned the Definitely Maybe cover in one of the most iconic images of the nineties? “Nope. I aint seen Bonehead for a few years. And Guigsy? Nothing since he left the band. And Tony? No, nada…”

What about Peter Sifter, who owned the second-hand record shop in Burnage and who was famously name-dropped in Oasis’ second single Shakermaker? “I think it’s still going, I dunno. Mr Sifter was a United fan I later found out...”

News of the band’s ‘split’ was finally announced in August 2009 but with such a history behind them, what does Paul feel will be Oasis’ legacy? “Various shows: Old Trout, Windsor, 1994; The Point, Dublin, 1995; Madison Square Gardens, New York, 2005; City of Manchester Stadium, 2005.

Records? All of ‘em. Line ups? All of ‘em.

Oasis is Oasis. People will always have their ‘faves‘. I seen it for what it was: A great band… the last great band.”

When a longstanding band with a discography like Oasis finally call it a day, it is often reason enough for their record company to release a deluge of ‘lost recordings’, scrapped sessions and rare outtakes. Will Oasis fans finally get to hear the infamous Richard Fearless recordings? “Everyone has opinions on different sessions that never seen the light of day. Death in Vegas? Now come on, as much as I like the band, if it was that good it wouldn’t have been scrapped.”

After fifteen years at the top and with Dig Out Your Soul quite probably their best album of the noughties, was it really time for Oasis to end? “You should never leave anything you're happy with to please others, always please yourself. In saying this yeah, I think everyone needed a break. Is it over for good? Who knows… its a long life.”

As of yet, Liam Gallagher, Gem Archer, Andy Bell, Chris Sharrock and possibly Jay Darlington are still ‘Oasis’ but should Liam make a clean break and start with a new identity now that he’s the only original band member left? “Liam should call the band whatever he feels. If he wants to continue as Oasis then let him. After all, he started the band.

Then again, you could also say that Oasis haven’t split… Noel left. I dunno… all will be revealed at some point. Like me, we'll all have to wait and see.”

The jungle drums are suggesting that Liam’s post-Oasis project may well release an album as early as this summer and that at least half a dozen songs are already demoed. Although Paul doesn’t have any suggestions for a new band name, he can confirm that they are working on new material: “I have heard some demos…”

And as for Noel, has he stockpiled any of his own songs over the years with Oasis? “I'm sure Noel has hundreds.”

So 2010 looks to be a good year for Oasis fans then, with albums expected from both Liam and Noel Gallagher. A few years ago, the sensible money would have been on Noel to shine without his brother so how does Paul see their fortunes developing without each other? “I think they BOTH will surprise everyone.”

12 January 2010

"All Around the World" is a song by British rock band Oasis. Released on 12 January 1998, the track peaked at Number 1 in the UK Singles Chart; it is the longest single ever to do so. It went Silver in the UK.

"All Around the World", nearly ten minutes long, is embellished with string and horn pieces, and is followed by a two-minute-long instrumental, "All Around the World (Reprise)". Upon its release the reviews were generally positive. It is in keeping with many Oasis songs, such as "Whatever", "Acquiesce", "Live Forever" in that it preaches the belief that "it's gonna be okay". It also features a backing vocal in the coda remarkably similar to the corresponding section in The Beatles' song "Hey Jude".

History

The song was one of the first to be written by Noel, and there are recorded sessions of the band rehearsing it at the Boardwalk club as early as 1992. However, despite Noel's fondness for the song, it did not appear on their first two albums, Definitely Maybe and (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, as he wanted to wait until the band could afford to produce the song in the extravagant manner in which it was to eventually appear. From time to time, Gallagher has claimed that this is one of the best songs he has ever written.

As early as Spring 1994, the final production sound for this song was envisaged. On the interview Wibbling Rivalry, Noel Gallagher said of the song, "With Supersonic, I worried I was never going to write another song after that 'cos I thought, 'It sounds that good'... Two days later I superseded it by about 50 fuckin' times. The reason we haven't recorded that song is because there isn't enough money in Creation Records' bank balance to pay for the production of that record. When we do that record..." Noel also added when asked if there would be an orchestra on it, "Orchestras, man? It's not got to be one, it's got to be two".

Video

Keeping with the feel of the song, the video was also a lavish affair. Featuring the band in a yellow spaceship, the animated piece saw them travel through a world akin to The Beatles' Yellow Submarine film. The video was directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris and apparently took 24 computer animators 6 months to make. The video itself is not as long as the song, lasting just over seven minutes. The part of the song that was cut out is mostly towards the end.

Description

Noel described the song shortly before the release of the album- "I wrote this one ages ago, before Whatever. It was twelve minutes long then. It was a matter of being able to afford to record it. But now we can get away with the 36-piece orchestra. And the longer the better as far as I'm concerned. If it's good. I can see what people are going to say, but fuck 'em, basically."

"The lyrics are teeny-poppy. But there are three key changes towards the end. Imagine how much better Hey Jude would have been with three key changes towards the end. I like the ambition of it, all that time ago. What was all that about when we didn't even have our first single out? Gin and tonics, eh?"

B-Sides

The B-Sides of "All Around the World" were two Noel sung songs, The Fame and Flashbax. Oasis also recorded a cover version of a Rolling Stones song, "Street Fighting Man".

Trivia

When it was suggested that Oasis take legal action against pop band Hear'Say for their first single's ("Pure and Simple") uncanny similarity to "All Around the World", Noel simply laughed at the hypocrisy of such an act from a man who was famous for "borrowing" from other artists.

The harmonica pieces on the track were performed by Mark Feltham. Noel and Liam's then wives, Meg Mathews and Patsy Kensit and The Verve's front man Richard Ashcroft sang backing vocals.

Portions of the song's chorus were used as background music for AT&T's advertising campaign for "The New" AT&T.

The photograph on the front of the single was taken on Bournemouth beach in Dorset, England.

11 January 2010

Creation Records boss Alan McGee is no stranger to a spot of self-mythology. Now it looks like his ten-years-defunct indie label -- which launched Jesus and Mary Chain, Primal Scream and Oasis (pictured) onto an unsuspecting world -- is to have its booze and bravado-fuelled story committed to celluloid for posterity.

'Upside Down', which is due out in the Spring, will trace the existence of the London-based imprint from its formation in 1983, through its sale to Sony and mid-'90s Britpop heyday, up until its eventual demise in 1999.

Aside from its massive hits with Oasis's 'Definitely Maybe' and '(What's the Story) Morning Glory', other successful bands on the Creation books have included My Bloody Valentine, Ride and Super Furry Animals.

Despite its star-studded roster, however, McGee's label was as well known for drug intake and partying as it was for chart-topping records. "We were dysfunctional people working with dysfunctional bands but somehow we still managed to function," former managing director Tim Abbott told the Guardian.

For 'Upside Down' director Danny O'Connor, it seems, the extra-curricular activities were just as much of a selling point as the musical end product. "No one does excess like Creation, no one does great records like Creation," he told the Guardian. "Creation was an indie, but it didn't wear a cardigan, it didn't apologise. There was a real power in its punch. If you think that rock 'n' roll is all about swagger -- this is your film."

First, there was news of Liam Gallagher (Oasis) starting his own fashion line, 'Pretty Green.' Then, avant-garde label Comme des Garçons teamed up with The Beatles for a capsule collection (sold at Dover Street Market). The latest example of 'music rocking fashion,' however, is Franz Ferdinand writing a song for Dior.

According to reports by Women's Wear Daily, the French fashion label is planning to premier its first music video January 14th.

Part of the promotional campaign for its 'Lady Dior' range, the label's spokesmodel and Oscar-winning French actress Marion Cotillard will portray a woman who transforms into a glamorous singer at night, performing Lady Rouge, a song specially written by Franz Ferdinand for the campaign.

The news follows the announcement that rock band Kings of Leon would soon release their first fashion line in collaboration with Paris-based agency Surface To Air, which was previously involved in lines for graffiti artist Banksy and electro-pop band Justice.

While 'rockers' are a rather new feature in the world of trendy collections (as opposed to tour t-shirts), fashion/music collaborations have become commonplace in pop music: Lily Allen performed at a Chanel fashion show, stars in the label's ads and even announced she would quit music to focus on her fashion career instead, stars such as Beyoncé and Rihanna are gracing the covers of fashion magazines and sit front-row during fashion week, and Lady Gaga is maybe the first singer who truly unites both industries.